In a brief arraignment before Judge Richard S. Sheward of Franklin County Common Pleas Court,
Weddington was asked whether he had anything to say.

“No, your honor, not at this time,” he replied somberly. He was accompanied by his new attorney,
Karl Schneider, a last-minute replacement for Sam Shamansky, who had represented Weddington for the
past three weeks.

Weddington, 41, remains free on a $25,000 recognizance bond. After yesterday’s arraignment,
Weddington and Schneider headed to a meeting with FBI officials to “see what he has to offer,”
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said.

O’Brien said he cautioned Weddington and his attorney that, if “he is going to cooperate, he
should cooperate fully.”

Weddington resigned from the Ohio House this week after being charged in an FBI sting operation.
He was indicted on charges alleging that he had accepted three all-expenses-paid trips, valued at
$16,000, to South Beach in Miami and California’s Napa Valley. A business entity was set up by the
FBI as part of the sting operation in which Weddington was offered trips, money and campaign
donations in exchange for potential legislation the lawmaker would sponsor.

The bill was never formally introduced, but investigators said Weddington sent a draft news
release about the bill to the phony company on his office letterhead. Based on documents obtained
from Weddington's office through a
Dispatch public-records request, a news released marked “draft” and dated Dec. 9 says
Weddington intended to introduce a bill to let Ohioans place direct orders with any wine
manufacturer, anywhere in the world.

It does not appear Weddington ever introduced that bill, and one of his trips was to Napa
Valley, a top wine-producing region. Investigators have declined to say what bill Weddington
planned to sponsor.

Edward Hanko, FBI special agent in charge of the Cincinnati field office, said when the
indictments were issued that the decision to pursue Weddington was triggered by an April 2010 story
in
The Dispatch. The story detailed how Weddington solicited a $2,500 payment for the
Legislative Black Caucus from an official with the Center for Responsible Lending. In exchange,
lawmakers would discuss payday lending.

Officials said Weddington, a former Columbus school board member and City Council aide, is the
first sitting state lawmaker in Ohio indicted on a bribery charge in 100 years. If convicted on all
charges, Weddington could be sentenced to 41/2 years in prison.

What Weddington might tell the FBI is unknown, but O’Brien said the investigation is probably
not over. Asked whether other officials might be indicted, he said, “It’s too early to tell.”

Asked to comment on the case, Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern said Weddington’s situation
poses a “teachable moment for any elected official that they need to pay attention to their
constituents first.”

House Democrats have until mid-August to find a new candidate to run for the 25th House District
this November. The Ohio House Democratic Caucus yesterday announced it is seeking a replacement for
Weddington, whose district includes 13 wards in Columbus and parts of Clinton and Mifflin
townships.

The replacement issue is complicated by the fact that, because of the reapportionment process,
House District 27 will become House District 25 in January. The boundaries of the two districts are
similar but not the same.